Resistance of Sharon Goatgrass (Aegilops Sharonensis) to Fungal Diseases of Wheat
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e-Xtra* Resistance of Sharon Goatgrass (Aegilops sharonensis) to Fungal Diseases of Wheat P. D. Olivera, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108; J. A. Kolmer, United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Cereal Disease Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathol- ogy, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108; Y. Anikster, Institute for Cereal Crops Improvement, Tel Aviv Univer- sity, Ramat Aviv, Israel 69978; and B. J. Steffenson, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108 breeders must be vigilant for virulence ABSTRACT changes in the stem rust population. For Olivera, P. D., Kolmer, J. A., Anikster, Y., and Steffenson, B. J. 2007. Resistance of Sharon goat- example, in 1999, a new race of P. grass (Aegilops sharonensis) to fungal diseases of wheat. Plant Dis. 91:942-950. graminis f. sp. tritici (race TTKS or isolate Ug99) was discovered in eastern Africa Sharon goatgrass (Aegilops sharonensis) is a wild relative of wheat that is native to Israel and that possesses virulence for many of the Lebanon. The importance of A. sharonensis as a source of new resistance genes for wheat war- wheat cultivars grown in the Great Plains rants additional research on the characterization of accessions for economically important genes. region (48). The introduction of such a Thus, the objectives of this study were to evaluate a collection of A. sharonensis accessions for race into the United States will have devas- resistance to seven important fungal diseases of wheat and assess the phenotypic diversity of the germplasm for disease reaction. The frequency of resistance in A. sharonensis was highest to tating consequences. Stripe rust is another powdery mildew (79 to 83%) and leaf rust (60 to 77%). Resistance to stem rust also was com- important rust disease of wheat, particu- mon, although the percentage of resistant accessions varied markedly depending on the pathogen larly in the cool and moist regions of the race—from 13% to race TTTT to 72% to race QCCJ. The frequency of resistance was interme- Pacific Northwest. Since 2000, however, diate to stripe rust (45%) and low to tan spot (15 to 29%) and spot blotch (0 to 34%). None of this rust disease has become increasingly the A. sharonensis accessions was resistant to Fusarium head blight. Many of the accessions important in the south-central states and tested exhibited heterogeneous reactions (i.e., had both resistant and susceptible plants) to one or central Great Plains, a region previously more of the diseases, suggesting that heterozygosity may be present at some resistance loci. considered noncongenial to the pathogen Substantial variation was observed in the level of diversity to individual diseases because Shan- (9). Total yield losses to stripe rust in the non’s Equitability index ranged from 0.116 (for Fusarium head blight) to 0.994 (for tan spot). A United States in 2003 were estimated at 86 high level of diversity was found both between and within collection sites. Moreover, differences million bushels (4.8% of wheat produc- in the geographic distribution of resistant accessions were observed. For example, accessions tion), making it the most important rust from northern Israel generally were less diverse and less resistant to leaf rust and stripe rust than disease of wheat over the past few years accessions from more southern locations. Four A. sharonensis accessions were highly resistant to (33). Two other diseases that have in- most of the diseases evaluated and may provide a source of unique resistance genes for intro- gression into cultivated wheat. creased in incidence and severity during the last decade are tan spot (Pyrenophora Additional keywords: disease resistance, wild wheat tritici-repentis (Died.) Drechsler, ana- morph Drechslera tritici-repentis (Died.) Shoemaker) and spot blotch (Cochliobolus sativus (S. Ito & Kurib.) Drechsler ex Das- Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is limited by both biotic and abiotic con- tur, anamorph: Bipolaris sorokiniana one of the most important cereal crops, straints. Disease is the major biotic stress (Sacc.) Shoemaker). The increased severity providing about 20% of the food calories in many regions. More than 200 diseases of these diseases has been favored by the consumed by people worldwide (65). In have been described on wheat, 50 of which wide adoption of minimum tillage and the United States, wheat is the third most are considered economically important retention of crop residues on the soil sur- widely grown crop behind corn and soy- (65). face (12). Although it is not a serious prob- bean and is cultivated on 25 million ha The major fungal diseases of wheat in lem of wheat in the main production re- (44). Wheat production can be severely the United States include Fusarium head gions of the United States, powdery blight (FHB) (caused primarily by Fusa- mildew (Blumeria graminis (DC.) Speer. f. Corresponding author: B. J. Steffenson rium graminearum Schwabe, teleomorph: sp. tritici Em. Marchal) has caused signifi- E-mail: [email protected] Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch), leaf cant losses (up to 17%) in winter wheat in rust (Puccinia triticina Erikss.), stem rust the southeastern Atlantic coast states (32). * The e-Xtra logo stands for “electronic extra” and (P. graminis f. sp. tritici Erikss. & Hen- Although fungicide treatments have be- indicates that two supplemental tables not included ning), and stripe rust (P. striiformis f. sp. come a common practice in cultivated in the print edition are available online. Table 1 contains the complete set of raw infection pheno- tritici Erikss.). In the last decade, FHB has wheat, the increasing environmental con- type data of Aegilops sharonensis accessions to become one of most significant plant dis- cerns regarding their use make the de- seven wheat fungal diseases, and Table 2 gives the eases in the United States, causing losses ployment of resistant wheat cultivars an numbers of different reactions to seven pathogens exceeding $2.5 billion (66). Rusts also can attractive and economically sound alterna- in Aegilops sharonensis accessions according to be significant in reducing yield. During the tive for disease control. The use of resis- collection site. last 20 years in the United States, leaf rust tant cultivars to control diseases requires Accepted for publication 17 February 2007. has been prevalent in all wheat-production the availability of many sources of resis- areas, causing yield losses between 1 and tance to counter the continuing evolution 8% (33). Although stem rust has not been a of new virulence types in pathogen popula- doi:10.1094/ PDIS-91-8-0942 major problem of wheat in the central and tions (21). From the time of first domesti- This article is in the public domain and not copy- northern Great Plains during the last 40 cation, the genetic diversity of wheat has rightable. It may be freely reprinted with custom- ary crediting of the source. The American Phyto- years, it is still considered the most de- been seriously eroded. Thus, it is impera- pathological Society, 2007. structive cereal rust (49). Pathologists and tive that the wheat gene pool be expanded 942 Plant Disease / Vol. 91 No. 8 by incorporating new genes into breeding in some A. sharonensis populations is at information. The Israeli accessions came programs (21). In this regard, wild wheat risk (43). from 11 collection sites covering most of relatives offer one of the most diverse The importance of A. sharonensis as a the known distribution area of the species sources of unique alleles for wheat im- source of resistance is well documented. within the country (43) (from 34.9° to provement (46). Previous investigators have identified in 36.4°N latitude), including the regions of Aegilops is the genus most closely re- the species sources of resistance to leaf Haifa Bay (3% of the accessions), Central lated to Triticum (25,26) and comprises 23 rust (4,5,21,37,46), stem rust (19), powdery Coastal Plain (40.2% of the accessions), species that include diploid, tetraploid, and mildew (21,46), Karnal bunt (64), Hessian and Southern Coastal Plain (56.8% of the hexaploid genomes (61). Aegilops spp. fly (21), and greenbug (21). The results accessions) (Fig. 1; Table 1). These popu- such as Aegilops umbellulata, A. spel- from all studies suggest that a high level of lations reflect the typical habitats of A. toides, A. squarrosa, A. longissima, and A. diversity for resistance exists in the species. sharonensis in Israel. The altitude at the comosa are known to be rich sources of In spite of the many examples of pathogen collection sites ranged between 0 and 100 resistance to various pathogens and pests and pest resistance in A. sharonensis, suc- m above sea level. Each accession within a (2,4,5,10,21,37,46,57,64), and many resis- cessful introgression of resistance genes collection site in Israel was derived from a tance genes have been transferred to into cultivated wheat has been reported only single spike gathered at least 5 m apart wheat. Some of the most important ones for leaf rust and stripe rust (38,39). along a straight transect. No information include Lr9, Lr21, Lr22, Lr28, and Lr35 The importance of A. sharonensis as a was available about the collection sites or for leaf rust resistance; Sr32, Sr34, and source of resistance genes for wheat, to- sampling technique of the accessions pro- Sr39 for stem rust resistance; Yr8 for stripe gether with its threatened habitats, warrant vided by CIMMYT or the NSGC. Prior to rust resistance; Pm13 for powdery mildew additional research on the collection of disease evaluation, all accessions were resistance; and Gb5 for greenbug resis- additional accessions and their characteri- grown for seed increase in a nethouse and tance (17,56). zation for economically important genes. greenhouse.